Weed extractor



Sept. 13, 1932. A. GEIBEL 1,876,907

WEED EXTRACTOR Filed May 3l, 1930 Patented sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATE-'sa ANDREW GEIBEL, oF cHrcAGo, ILLINOIS.

f wenn nxrfRAcroR ppncation med may 31,

VThisI invention relates to an improved device for extracting Yweedsfor the like al` though the same may be adapted for other similar uses. j

LE The main object of this invention is to prof vide a device of the character .describedff'or pulling or extracting weeds 'or the like, said device being adapted for operation by `a person while in aV substantially standing posi- .IQ tion,'without stoopingpor getting into any other inconvenient or uncomfortable position for the purpose of operating the same.

AnotherA object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which 15. will be composed of -few and simple parts, which may be readily manufactured and as.-` sembled along lines convenient for low cost production', which will'be durable in opera-iz tion and highly eiicient for carrying out the 20. purposes for which designed.

A further object 'of the inventionis to pro-` vide a device of the character described which may be gripped at'itsr upper end by the hands of the operator and inserted into the groundv at its Vopposite end, surrounding the weed or the like to be pulled out, the weed being pulled out or extracted by suitable means provided at the lower end of the device, and actuated at the gripping end thereof.` f

A still further ob'ect of Vthis invention is to provide a device of the .character described, with a pair of normally spaced substantiallyV parallel blades at itsv one end adapted `to be inserted into `the ground to receive'itherebe'-y tween a'weed or the like, said blades being movabletoward eachother to grip the weed around the roots thereof for pulling the same out ofthe ground, said bladesbeing actuated by the handle meansv provided for said de#v vice. Y

lA still further object of the invention is-to provide a device of the character described, with moveable weedA extracting jaws at one end, and repelling means associated with said 45 jaws and disposed between the same for forcing the weed therefrom when the same has been pulled up or extracted. .4 Y i A still further object y,of this invention is to provide a device of the character described 50 with pivotally mounted weedclenchingand being of such a shape and size and so dis-V 1930. serial 455.178.

extracting blades or jaws at one end', and i repelling means associated withsaid jaws for forcing` the weed therefrom when the same` has been" extractedl from the ground, said means comprising a spring-actuated plunger disposed between the jaws and in position to be placed under tension when the'device is inserted into the ground.

A still further object of this invention is to-provid'e adev'ice of the character described, having weed cl'enching and extracting jaws f at oneend and means associated'therewith for forcing they weed therefrom after the same has been extracted, said jaws being actuated'by the handlemeans of the device,"and` said repelling means being automatically `ac' tuated upon the removalfof said jawsV from the ground.` v "A still further object of'this invention'is to provide in a device of the character 'de-p 70 scribed, a novel and improved weed-extracting means consisting of a pair of cooperating relatively narrow gripping jaws adapted to clench the weeds to be extracted, said jaws 75 posed as to form 'a hole ofminimum size in the ground after the weed has been extracted.

' A still further obj ect of this invention is'to provide, in connection with a device of,V the character described,` a novel and improved weed-gripping and cutting device having means associated therewith for automatically forcing'ou-t the weed after'the same has been pulled up from the ground.

"A still' further object of this invention is to 85 provide in a device vof the character def` scribed, a novel and improved means for automatically forcing out'the weed after the sam-chas been pulled' lup from the ground, said means comprising la plunger mounted for vertical movement between the weedgripping means and 'suitable guide means for guiding lsaid plunger in: its vertical movement. Y

,With the foregoing and other objects in View, which willappear'as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. f

Stated generally, the invention comprises a device for lextracting weeds or the like, `consisting of a pair of pivotally mounted co operating jaws or blades at one end, and handle means provided at the other end connected with said jaws for actuating the same from a standing position. Disposed between said blades or jaws is a spring actuated repelling means, said being disposed so as to be placed under tension when the device is inserted into the ground, and tobe automatically released upon the removal of the device from thek ground for forcing out the weed or the like from between the jaws Vafter the same has been pulled up.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof from an inspection of which when considered in connection with the following description my invention, its mode of construction and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughoutthe several igures of the drawing: f

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a weed extractor embodying the ypresent invention, the same being shown inserted into the ground;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the jaws in extended position; Y

gig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same; an

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

`Referring.; to the drawing more specifically by characters of reference, the numerals 10 and 11 designate relativelylonnr handle members, to the normallylower ends of which are secured by means of the bolts 12, the castings 13 and 14C, said castings having formed integral therewith, adjacent their upper ends, suitable bosses or ears 15 and 16 through which is adapted to pass the bolt 17 for pivotally securing said castings to each other. To the other end of said castings is rigidly secured, by means of the bolts 18, suitably shaped cutting blades or jaws 19 and 20, said jaws being provided with relatively sharp cutting edges at the sides, and relatively sharp points at the lower ends for facilitating `the insertion of the Ydevice into the ground. y The said blades 19 and 2O are of subf stantially V-shaped cross-section, as shown 1n the drawing, and the inner faces of said castings 13 and 14 are similarly shaped in order to receive the said blades, which are securely fastened thereto to hold the same in operative position.

A bolt 21, having a head 22 at one end thereof, is adapted to extend through the castings and blades intermediate their ends, said bolt having the nuts 23 and 24: threaded thereon adjacent its free end, said nuts receiving between them the casting 14 and its associated blade Q0. The said bolt is of such a length as to permit the desired pivotal movement of the blades 19 and 2O with respect to each other. Obviously, any other suitable means for limiting the movement of said blades relative to each yother maybe employed; the means shownhowever, pro'- vide a simple construction -which may bei readily adjusted by actuating the nuts 23. and 24. I

In operation, the blades 19 and 2O are spaced about three-fourths of an inch apart` when in their fully extended position, in which position they are adapted to be inserted into the ground. The said blades are inserted in the ground in position to straddle or receive between them the root of the weed whereby the same may be withdrawn without breaking. Because of the relatively narrow, sharp cutting edges provided for said blades, the hole formed in the ground by the insertion of the device will be relatively small-and hardly noticeable after the weedhas been eX- tracted.

In order to automatically forcethe weed out from between the blades, after thesame has been forced-up, I provide the following.y novel mechanism: Disposed between the blades 19 and 20 is a Vertical repelling means or plunger 25, which may be formed of any suitable material such for example as a wire rod or the like, the lower end of which bends on itself, as shown in the drawing, to form the horizontally disposed portion 26.A The intermediate portion of the rod 25 extends through a suitable guide means for guiding the same in its vertical movement, said guide means, in the embodiment illustrated, con-` sisting of an annular ring member 'floosely mounted on the bolt 21. The other end of said rod 25 is provided with a lhooked portion 28 to which is secured one end of al coil springY 2 9, the otherV end of which spring is 'secured toone of the bolts 18 or to some other suit! able means provided for that purpose on the casting 14. A second guide means for the rod 25 maybe provided adjacent the pivot 17, said means comprising a suitably bent plate 30 held in place by the pivoting means 17 for the castings 13 and 14, said rod being received between the said plate 30 yand the ear 15 of the casting 13. It will thus be noted that suitable guide means have been provided for guiding the rod 25 in its vertical movement relative to the blades 19 and 20.

To opera-te the device the same may be grasped by the handles 10 and 11, said handles being held in position to keep the blades 19 and 20 in their fully extended position, in which position they may be inserted into the ground Yaround the roots of a. weed to be extracted or pulled out. It will be noted that upon the insertion of the blades into the ground the plunger 25 will be forced upwardly against the tension of the spring 29, said action being caused by the ground actl ing against the horizontal portion 26 of the said plunger. After the device has beeninserted into the ground the desired amount, the handles 10 and 11 are moved away from each other to cause the blades 19 and 2O to move about their pivot- 17 to grasp or clench the weed, and while in this grasping position the device may be pulled out with the weed held between the blad-es. Byv again moving the handles 10 and 11 toward each other, the blades 19 and 20 will be extendedv and the weed automatically forced therefrom by means of the plunger 25 which will be acted upon by the coil spring 29. It will thus be noted that after the weed has been pulled out from the ground the same will be held between the jaws or blades until released into a suitable container by the actuation of the handles 10 and 11.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a weed-extractingdevice which may be conveniently operated by a person from a standing position, and which will be effective in pulling' up the weeds without breaking the same and also without causing too much of a breaking-up of the ground from which the weeds have been pulled. VIn addition to that, I have provided improved means for holding the weed in the device after thev same has been pulled up from the ground, and for automatically releasing the same by a simple manipulation of the handles of the device thus avoiding the necessity of having to pick the weeds up from the have been extracted.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the fore-` going without further description, and should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are, nevertheless, capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in thev appended claims.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States is: Y V

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of pivoted relatively sharp blades adapted to cooperate with each other lfor gripping a weed or the like, handles connected with said blades for actuatingr the ground after the same same, and adjustable means extending through said blades adapted for limiting the opening between the same.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of pivotally mounted cooperating blades, handles attached to s aid blades for actuatingV .the same, repelllng means disposed between said blades adapted for reciprocal movement relative thereto for cleaning the same, said means having a coil spring adapted to be placed under tension upon the insertion of the blades into the ground and to be automatically released upon the withdrawal and opening of the same for forcing the weed from the said blades.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of pivoted jaws adapted for l cooperation with each other for gripping a weed or the like when the device is inserted in the ground, handles carried by each of said jaws for actuating the same, repelling means disposed between said jaws and in position for automatically cleaning the same, and means associated with said repelling means for guiding the same in its reciprocal move' Vmeans disposed between said jaws and in position for automatically cleaning the same, said repelling means comprising a vertically movable rod being enlarged at its lower end, spring means for normally holding said repelling means in its lowermost position, said rod being adapted to be moved against the action of the spring when engaged by the ground upon the insertion of the device into the ground, said spring means forcing said rod to its downward position to clean the aws when the device has been pulled up from the ground and guide means for guiding the said repelling means in its vertical movement.

5. In a device of the Vcharacter described, pivotally mounted cooperating blades adapted tobe inserted into-the ground around the weed to be extracted, handle meansfor actuating said blades, an ejector operating between the said blades, spring means associated with said ejector, said spring means being adapted to be placed under tension upon the insertion of the blades into the ground and to be held in such position Auntil the removal o-f the blades from the ground and the opening of the same.

In witness whereof, I aliix my signature.

ANDREW GEIBEL.

IGO- 

